Four years on, and the Covid-19 pandemic has permeated every sphere of human health. While studies showed that the virus, which tends to mutate quite swiftly, has a certain effect on the brain, the heart, lungs, and even the immune system, newer research shows, it’s bound to affect sexual function as well.

Many people might not have noticed a resurgence of sexual vitality after their recovery. Though only a few reports have focused on the effect of Covid-19 on sexual health, new evidence has shown that the SARS-CoV-2 virus could impair several aspects of the reproductive system.

UNDERSTANDING COVID-19 AND WOMEN’S SEXUAL HEALTH

“The need for a species to reproduce comes after the safety and survival of an individual. So, of course, when we were all struggling to survive, sex took a backseat,” psychiatrist Dr Sneha Sharma told IndiaToday.In.

Since the pandemic, if you and your partner find it hard to be intimate, there are ways to break it, the expert added.

A 2023 study, published in The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, revealed how women who suffered from Covid-19 faced sex problems, mostly related to psychiatry six months after the illness.

The researchers from Assiut University, Egypt, conducted a study on 62 women in which sexual dysfunction was seen in 58% of the participants.

They concluded that after 6 months of the infection, there was a decline in the frequency of sexual intercourse. “Sexual dysfunction was associated with renal illness, COVID-19-related oxygen therapy and fatigue, post-COVID-19-vaccination myalgia, and headache,” the authors wrote.

Numerous factors could exacerbate sexual dysfunction during the pandemic.

On the one hand, for many young adults, economic and psychological stresses are caused by unemployment or dropping out of school.

On the other hand, lack of access to comprehensive health care services and separation from sexual partners may increase the chance of unfavourable sexual health outcomes.

Besides this, studies show that the pandemic contributed to a substantial increase in anxiety, as well as a considerable drop in sexual activity, driven mainly by isolation and lack of desire as a result of stress.

A meta-analysis of 21 studies published in the journal BMC Public Health in January 2022 revealed a significant decline in sexual function, which includes factors like desire, arousal, and pleasure, for both men and women following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In terms of desire, women faced more challenges compared to men.

“The stressors during the pandemic were unevenly distributed among the two sexes with women being disproportionately involved in household and child-rearing responsibilities,” said Dr Sneha Sharma.

Psychiatrist Dr Naren Prahlada Rao, Kauvery Hospital, told IndiaToday.In that extended working hours which blurred the lines between professional and personal time are responsible for this effect.

“These factors along with increased sexting and masturbation have led to decreased sexual satisfaction,” said Dr Rao.
Besides this, depression and stress resulting from the loss of loved ones also adversely influence sexual arousal and satisfaction.

TACKLING LACK OF SEXUAL DESIRE IN WOMEN

Sexual desire and pleasure, explained Dr Sharma, are not limited to the act of intercourse. They often start with respecting your partner’s feelings, asking them what they enjoy, and investing time and effort in foreplay.

If you or your partner is experiencing difficulties bringing back your spark, you should take it seriously and consider professional help.

Dr Sharma said that the foremost tip to increase sexual desire is to first share your partner’s stressors. This could be helping around the house and reducing their workload.

Dr Naren Rao suggested that returning to a healthy lifestyle and managing stress can help tackle the lack of sexual desire. It’s difficult for people’s bodies to find space for sex when they’re under stress.

“It is important to spend quality time at home with your partner and focus on emotional bonding and sexual satisfaction,” he added.

A long-standing relationship often leads to predictability and lack of spark and hence needs to be constantly re-invented to keep up with the changing dynamics of the relationship.

Deborah Fox, a licenced sex therapist and clinical social worker based in Washington, DC, told CNN that experiencing the feeling at the beginning of a relationship when the desire is on fire all the time is an anomaly in the world of sexuality. “It’s OK if you have to change your approach as a relationship goes on,” Fox said.

She took the approach of cuddling, kissing and holding hands at a designated time and being open where it might go. She suggested, “Don’t forget to have fun with it.”

Besides this, women have to start speaking up about pain.

Dr Sharma said that some women often experience pain during intercourse, and they should seek medical help in figuring out the cause and treatment.

A 2023 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has shown that 30% of women experienced pain the last time they had sex.

If a woman undergoes pain, addressing it should be the starting point of treatment.

The data showed that men were more likely to seek professional help for the sexual problems they experienced than women.

The bottom line is, women have faced a setback in their sexual health after the Covid-19 illness. However, there is a ray of hope in the form of treatment and therapy to revive the spark of sexual desire. Take your sexual health seriously and ask for help, advise experts.